HOLYOKE — The city's link to what officials said Monday (Dec. 22) will be a revitalized system of rail travel in the region took a tangible step with the groundbreaking for a $3.2 million passenger train platform.

"It's exciting to see Holyoke at the center of that in Western Massachusetts," Mayor Alex B. Morse said.

Shortly after, a silver Amtrak trained pulled up to the dirt lot at Main and Dwight streets, a good 10 minutes early, and out stepped U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, Gov. Deval L. Patrick and other officials.

Then the officials from up and down the levels of government grabbed a shovel each and conducted the ceremonial and simultaneous tossing of dirt to signal the launch of what will be a 400-foot-long concrete platform with a canopy.

Morse and a stream of other officials who had attended the ceremony here then joined Neal and Patrick in filing onto the train -- the Vermonter making its first journey from Springfield -- for stops in Northampton and Greenfield.

Patrick said the return-to-rail steps like the platform here have been planned for a while. He credited the work on the rail project of former Congressman John W. Olver, who attended the event.

"He's here now, so we can call him out," Patrick said.

D.A. Sullivan & Sons, a general contractor from Northampton, is building the platform at the north-south tracks owned by Pan Am Railways. The site is at the foot of a hill that leads up to Bowers Street.

It's been 30 years since Holyoke had passenger train service, said Marrero, who said it's been three years of planning to get a Paper City stop on the rejuvenated rail line.

"It hasn't been easy getting to this point," said Marrero, who was praised by Morse and others for his work on the project.

"Dealing with the state isn't always the easiest thing," said state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke.

The installation of another junction of travel is one of the numerous pieces needed to revitalize a city, said state Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield.

The budget for the passenger train platform here is $4.6 million. Construction accounts for more than $3.2 million with the rest of the money for contingencies in case building costs increase, property acquisition and demolition, Marrero said.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse boards a train that stopped Monday (Dec. 22) at Main and Dwight streets after a ceremonial breaking of ground on construction of a $3.2 million passenger rail platform set to be done by September.(MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN)

Most of the $4.6 million came from the state with $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to design the project, he said.

The platform is part of a multimillion-dollar state project to improve train tracks between Springfield and Vermont.

The Holyoke High School madrigal choir serenaded the crowd in the 36-degree weather before the ceremony began.